The Accessible Web

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

The Accessible WebAccessibility 2.0: A Holistic And User-Centred Approach To Web Accessibility

Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of [email protected]

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/museums-web-2007/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/conferences/museums-web-2007/

This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat)

Resources bookmarked using ‘ukmw07' tag Resources bookmarked using ‘ukmw07' tag

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.


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Contents

• Reflections on today’s themes• Web accessibility & innovation• Revisiting Web accessibility:• Contextualising Web accessibility:• What Next?


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Today’s Talks

What have we heard about today:• Museums 2.0: just do it• How tagging can help• Potential of Second Life• Maybe Semantic Web has a role• The challenges of the personalised Web

and the ethical Web

What do you think:• Toys for the boys?• Or not?


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Accessibility and Innovation

“I’m looking at Web 2.0 / Museum Mashups / Facebook / Second Life /…. What do people think about these technologies?”

Common responses:

We are committed to complying with accessibility guidelines; we won’t be driven by new technologies

But might this actually mean:• We can’t be bothered• We’re threatened• We’re scared• …

What if new technologies actually enhance accessibility?

What if the accessibility guidelines are out-of-date?


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Where Does Accessibility Fit In?

What is your view? Web innovations typically add to the

accessibility barriers people with disabilities face:

Need for caution and delaying innovation until accessibility features are developed

Can’t decide; it’s too complicated

Web innovations often enhance accessibility:

Opportunity to exploit innovations and gain experiences


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My Views

My thoughts on this:• We’ve interpreted accessibility incorrectly• It’s not about:

Control Rules Universal solutions An IT Problem A worry Avoiding being sued

• It is not about: Empowering people Widening

participation Contextual solutions Blended solutions A great opportunity Being appreciated


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Background: W3C WAI & WCAG

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium):• Body responsible for coordinating development of

Web standards

WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative):• W3C group responsible for developing guidelines

which will ensure Web resources are widely accessible

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines):• One of three sets of WAI guidelines. WCAG

provides advice of accessibility on Web content (e.g. HTML pages)

• Other two WAI guidelines cover accessible user agents (UAAG) and accessible authoring tools (ATAG)

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The WAI Model

The WAI model for Web accessibility is based on three components:

• Content• Authoring Tools• Browsers

Assumption: do three right universal accessibility

But:• We have no control over browsers & authoring tools• The browsers and authoring tools aren't great• The content guidelines are flawed• What if users are happy with their existing browser?

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Interpretation of WAI WCAGHow do you interpret WAI WCAG (must use ALT tags for images; HTML must be valid; must use style sheets for presentation; …):

• Mandatory, with following characteristics:Clearly defined rules ObjectiveChecking mostly objectivePenalties for non-complianceSimilar to checking that HTML complies with the

standard

• Advisory, with following characteristics:Useful guidelines, to be interpreted in contextIt's about providing useful, usable resourcesIt's contextualChecking mostly subjectiveIt's similar to checking that a Web site is well-designed

Which reflects your organisations’ view most closely?

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Limitations of the WAI Model

WAI approach has shortcomings:• WAI model relies on conformant Web sites,

conformant authoring tools, conformant user agents• …and conformant users!• WCAG guidelines have flaws ("must use W3C

formats; must use latest versions; …")• Has a Web-only view of the world:

What about other IT solutions? What about blended (real world) solutions?

• Has a belief in a single universal solution: But isn't accessibility a very complex issue Is it reasonable to expect an ideal solution to

be developed at the first attempt?

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What do we mean by Web accessibility?Can we provide accessible Web services without a clear understanding of what we mean by this?

Small group exercise:• What do we mean by Web accessibility?• Where does usability fit in? • Where does interoperability fit in?

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Usability & Interoperability

What about:• Usability• Interoperability

http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/InternetHome.hcsphttp://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/code/InternetHome.hcsp

Example:• Long, application-specific URLs can cause

accessibility/usability and interoperability problemsAddition Problems:

• We’ve got WCAG AA (and checked with users) We don’t need to do anymore (it’s costly) We don’t need to address usability

The focus on priority levels can limit what’s done


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Diversity – Content

WAI guidelines focus on informational Web sites:• Here’s the train timetable – I want the information

and I want it now• This is reasonable and desirable

But is this approach always relevant to learning and cultural contexts:

• Here’s something – you must interpret it (and being wrong can be part of the learning process)

Co

nte

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Universal Accessibility?


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Holistic Approach

See Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility by Kelly, Phipps & Swift

See Developing A Holistic Approach For E-Learning Accessibility by Kelly, Phipps & Swift

Q How do you make highly interactive e-learning services universally accessibility (e.g. 3D model of molecules)?

A If this would be unreasonable, make the learning outcomes (rather than e-learning resources) accessible.

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Can we apply this approach to cultural resources, with an emphasis on providing a diversity of cultural experiences?


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Articulating the Approach

The "Tangram Metaphor" developed to avoid checklist / automated approach:

• W3C model has limitations• Jigsaw model implies

single solution• Tangram model seeks to

avoid such problems

This approach:• Encourages developers

to think about a diversity of solutions

• Focus on 'pleasure' it provides to user

This approach:• Encourages developers

to think about a diversity of solutions

• Focus on 'pleasure' it provides to user

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Tangram Model & Testability

"WCAG 2.0 success criteria are written as testable statements …" (nb. automated & human testing )

Issues:• What about WCAG principles that don't have defined success

criteria (e.g. "content must be understandable")?• What about 'baselines' – context only known locally• What about differing models or / definitions of 'accessibility'?

Note vendors of accessibility testing services will market WCAG tools e.g. see posting on BSI PAS 78

Tangram model can be used within WCAG• Distinguish between testable (ALT tags)

and subjective (content understandable)• Supports baselines

Baseline 1

Testable

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Accessibility 2.0 Paper

Paper presented at W4A 2007 conference:• “I don’t disagree – but WAI focusses on

accessibility of Web resources”

Our misunderstanding of WAI’s role:• Decide on the services you wish to

provide, then look at accessibility

not:• Look at accessibility guidelines to see

what is allowed

Note this ties in with Seb Chan’s talk on the processes for selecting technologies


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WCAG 2.0

Latest WCAG 2.0 draft is much improved

Focus on four key principles (POUR):Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be perceivable by users

Operable: User interface components must be operable by users

Understandable: Information and operation of user interface must be understandable by users

Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies

Note WCAG 2.0 draft removes some of the flawed guidelines – and HTML compliance is toned down. This may result in many Web sites will enhance their WCAG rating overnight!

Note WCAG 2.0 draft removes some of the flawed guidelines – and HTML compliance is toned down. This may result in many Web sites will enhance their WCAG rating overnight!


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WCAG & Holistic Context

Proposal for a museum’s accessibility policy:• Museum services will seek to engage its

audiences, attract new & diverse audiences, ...

• Museum will take reasonable measures to maximise access to its services.

Interpretations:• Second Life, Web 2.0, … to attract new

audiences (e.g. young people)• Reasonable measures to ensure Web 2.0 is

widely accessible (e.g. WCAG if possible)


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On Reasonableness

How do we know what is reasonable?• Every page must be WCAG AA compliant

(including HTML-compliance, even if 99% of Web pages fail this test)

• No Podcasting, as can’t be heard by deaf users (to hell with blind users)

• No Flash – even if people say they like it• No surrealism – people won’t understand it

Or:• Staff training so they’re informed of best practices• Sharing our approaches – and learning from

others• Engaging with our user communities• Doing what museums are expected to do


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Not In Isolation

How do we:• Develop staff?• Enhance the effectiveness of our

approaches?• Develop an understand on what is

reasonable?

Answers:• Documenting policies• Sharing our experiences• Sharing our resources• Discussing and debating


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An Emerging Roadmap

Accessibility Summit II held in Nov 2006 agreed:• Need for a manifesto:

Building on WAI’s foundations Developing a user-centric approach Developing a contextual model Developing an evidence-based approach

• A roadmap for future work: Engagement with disability communities Engagement with WAI Identifying areas of research Gathering case studies of best practices …

Follow-up workshop took place at MW 2007


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Application to Second Life

How do I make SL accessible?

Wrong question – ask:• “How do I maximise the

accessibility of my museum?”

Solutions:• Wheelchair ramps• Web sites• Accessible Web sites• Web experiences• Immersive environments• …

A portfolio of solutions aimed at widening participation

Compare with the BBC. Is the radio universally accessible to the deaf – or do the BBC have a portfolio of channels?

Compare with the BBC. Is the radio universally accessible to the deaf – or do the BBC have a portfolio of channels?


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Next Steps for Museums

At MW 2007:• Museums wiki service

described• Accessibility 2.0 added

to wiki

An opportunity for you:• Use this to briefly

summarise your approaches to accessibility 2.0

(And keep copy for use elsewhere)

http://museums.wikia.com/wiki/Accessibility_2.0

http://museums.wikia.com/wiki/Accessibility_2.0


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Just Do It!!

What not to do:• Seek 2 year funding in order to explore

implications, set up case study database, QA processes, …

Instead:• Write case study on the train home!• Document what you’ve done - you’ve

probably adopted a user-focussed approach anyway! (cf. Tate’s i-Map work described by Caro Howell 2 years ago)


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What Next?

What should the next steps be in development of approaches for Web accessibility in a museum context?

Technology

The Accessible Web